STAR WARS: Secret Bloodlines
by loroot
Summary: 940 years before the Galactic Empire's reign, there is peace within the Republic, which may be threatened by a mysterious ship arriving on Coruscant. A Jedi, along with many others, begins a search for answers that will reveal many secrets of the galaxy.
1. Introduction and Prologue

Introduction

_First, this is only my 2nd FanFiction, so, if you don't like this story, maybe that will help my case._

_I'm relatively new to the whole FF thing, but my first one is called COLLISIONS, and it's a HUGE Crossover of several things. Right now I've got **Terminator, Marvel and DC Comics, Heroes, and Harry Potter**, and I'm planning on adding more, so, if you're interested, check that out._

_But right now, we're going to talk about Star Wars._

_The story takes place approximately 940 years BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin), with the exception of the Prologue, which, hopefully, is able to clear up any questions about the setting. _

_I'm going to try and keep this story as Canon as possible, but, I don't know the exact chronology of that beloved galaxy far, far away, so, I'm sorry if somethings don't line up with the official time-line. Hopefully, though, what I have planned won't be like that. _

_Lastly, about the title, there is a point behind it. I didn't just choose it because it sounds cool. The reason it's called that has a lot to do with aspects of the story, that will arise later, so don't ask me about it, because I don't want to reveal anything. Not to brag, or anything, but I have a pretty good idea of where I'm headed with this, and, I think it's pretty good... and again, not to brag or anything *cough*._

_I don't really know what else to say, except, enjoy, I guess._

* * *

**STAR WARS: Secret _Bloodlines_**

Prologue

_Around 900 years before the reign of the Empire, a relative peace envelops the galaxy, maintained by the Jedi Order, and the Grand Galactic Republic, whose influence reaches to the boundaries of the Mid Rim, and to a few systems within the outer reaches of the galaxy. _

_This peace has lasted for over forty years, since the end of the New Sith Wars. But, while all seems well, a decline in the number of force-adepts has left the Jedi Order weaker than it once was. Now, the search for force-sensitive adolescents is a larger priority than it has ever been before. _

_The colonized planet of Myyle-Hara is home to one such a child. Two Jedi have been sent to find the adolescent and to discover if it is adept in the force. The one problem that presents itself, however, is that the child is next in line to the royal throne, and to make matters worse, the system it's found in is still recovering from the war. _

_The search for those who are adept in the Force becomes more urgent as each day passes, as it is not sure if the current peace of the galaxy will last forever...._

* * *

Above the capital city of the lush planet Myyle-Hara, the night sky was blocked from view by dark storm clouds, from which poured a unique, tropical rain that was warm at the touch. The surrounding jungle trees swayed in the wind.

The serene ambience, however, was not a representation of the planet's history.

The New Sith Wars had brought a decline of the planet's economy and well being, and an increase in its crime.

The rulers of Myyle-Hara were currently busy with reconstruction and restoration projects, throughout the entire system. It was clear that many strong rulers would be needed in the time that would follow, to maintain peace and order.

These facts and more were what cycled through the mind of Jedi Knight, Ur Codaan. He looked ahead of him at his master, whose hooded head was looking directly at the bright village they were approaching.

Although he had faith in his master, Ur was uncertain of the outcome of their visit. Nevertheless, he understood its importance.

As the rain began to pour more heavily, the Jedi and his mentor arrived at the village, where they were met by a group of people, dressed elegantly.

The young Jedi looked around at his surroundings. The towering trees that reached to the sky had branches covered in lamps. The road they were walking on led to the village, and split off into several directions, leading up to a large building at the center. Around, scattered in various places along the maze of roads, were buildings of many shapes and sizes, most likely shops and homes.

Ur looked back at the group of people walking towards them. At the head, walked a man dressed in a golden robe. This was Lontev Baan, one of the rulers of Myyle-Hara, and the very man that they needed to meet.

He walked up to the two Jedi and spoke, "Guardians of the Republic, it is an honor to meet you. I am Lontev Baan."

Ur grinned, politely, while his master bowed to the king. "It is truly an honor to be in your presence, but… I'm afraid that our pleasantries can not continue for too long. The matter on which we are here is of importance."

"Yes, of course. This way." replied the king. "We can go to the palace." They began to make their way towards the large building in the center of the village.

"I feel I must apologize for the weather, master Jedi."

"No apology is necessary, your Excellency." The Jedi Master continued to stare straight ahead.

The king hesitated, unsure of what he should say. "…uh — I received a message from Master Gandar of the Jedi Council informing me of your visit. He also said that this was a matter of importance that may have a significant affect on our planet's government…." He waited for a response from the Jedi Master who continued to walk straight ahead without talking. The king continued, "…What exactly is this about?"

"As I'm sure you're aware of, the number of individuals capable of using the force has been decreasing — at least as far as we are able to see. The search for those who are adept in the force has always been of high importance; however, recently, it has become more of a priority."

"…I — I see, but… what does this have to do with _our_ government?"

"Only a select number of children within the range of the Republic have been detected, but one of these children was found to be right here."

"Here? Why that's… that's," the king began to smile, "wonderful news. This is an amazing circumstance, one that I am sure to help boost the morale of our civilians!"

"And what of the parents? Most likely, they will never see their child again. Will they think of it in the same way?"

"It is an unfortunate factor of this process, I'm sure, but I have faith that they will see how imperative it is for their child to become a Guardian of the Republic."

At first, the Jedi Master was quiet. After several seconds, he said, "We shall see."

Soon enough, the three of them were in the Lontev Baan's quarters, within the palace, where they were joined by the queen, carrying their infant son, in her arms.

Lontev smiled at his child, who seemed to be asleep, and then looked back at the Jedi. "So, who is this child you're looking for?"

The Jedi Master did not answer, but only stared at the baby, carried by the queen. Slowly, he removed his hood. He continued to stare at the baby, his eyes, almost sad.

At first, the king was confused. However, soon, his eyes widened, and his head began going back and forth between his son and the Jedi who was looking at him.

The Jedi Master finally said, "It has come to the attention of the council that your son, Caden Baan, is strong in the force. With your approval, he would be taken to the Jedi temple on Coruscant, where he will be taught the ways of the force."

The queen looked at her husband, who was silent, his eyes wide. He looked down, covering his eyes with his hands, taking a deep breath.

Then, he looked up and said to his wife, "Let's get him ready."

The queen gasped, "You're letting them take him?!"

He looked at his wife sadly, yet determinedly and said slowly, "I'm sorry… but we cannot ignore the importance of this. Who knows how long this peace will last? When the time comes, the Republic will need as many Jedi as it can. Our son will be one of them….As a king and queen, this is an honor for our people. As a mother and father, it is an honor for our family."

The queen looked down at the boy, with sadness. Finally, she said, "You're right. This is… this is for the best." She looked up at the two Jedi. "When will you take him?"

"I'm afraid we cannot stay for too long. At most, a few more hours."

She looked back at the baby boy, who squirmed in her arms, but kept his eyes closed. "I always knew he was special…. Sounds silly, I know, but ever since he was born, he's never opened his eyes. We thought there was something wrong, but the medical droid said that he was the healthiest baby it had ever seen…" her voice broke away.

The king looked at the Jedi and asked, "Will we be able to see him, again?"

"I'm sorry, but no."

The king nodded his head, and looked back, knowing it was the last time he would see his son.

* * *

Three hours later, Ur and his master were on the ship, taking off from Myyle-Hara. He was sitting, his head facing the floor. From behind him, his master spoke, "You were silent the entire mission. Is there something wrong?"

"No, master, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? I sense that there's something troubling you."

"…It just…It just feels as if there's an urgency to find these individuals. I mean, like you said, of course it's important, but, right now… it just feels as if we're waiting for something."

"I don't understand what you mean."

"It seems as if the Republic is expecting something terrible to happen. _Is something terrible going to happen?_"

"It is…difficult to see the future. We can't be certain if anything is going to happen at all. We can only preserve the peace, and prepare for a day in which something does happen, however it is not clear if such a day is coming soon, or at all."

Ur nodded his head slowly in understanding.

"Now, why don't your go check on our new passenger."

"Yes Master," said Ur, getting up.

He made his way to the medical bay in the ship, to see the little boy, being cradled by the medical droid. He couldn't tell if the child was asleep or not, because of his eyes, which remained shut.

The Medical Droid rolled up to him and said in a serene, yet mechanical voice, "Please hold him. His bed must be prepared."

"Huh? Err… okay…."

Awkwardly, he took the baby from the droid, who went to prepare the bed. At this point, they were far away from Myyle-Hara, and all that was visible through the large window in the wall behind him, was the vast enormity of space.

Ur walked up to the window to see a better view. He looked at all the stars of the galaxy that surrounded him, all the systems. He began thinking of what his master said about the Republic, and the possible future ahead.

He took a deep breath and looked down at the baby in his hands. To his amazement, the baby's eyes were fluttering, and very slowly, his eyelids rose to reveal two different colored pupils. His right eye was green, his left eye blue.

Ur although he was a little confused at what had just happened, smiled down at the baby he was holding. It was extrordinary, what had just happened, and shocking, to say the least.

The baby just stared at the stars in front of him. Then, he looked up at the young adult who was holding him, and the baby named Caden Baan, smiled right back.

* * *

_Yeah, so, that's the prologue. Kind of short, I know, but that's okay, because the next chapter (which I've already started working on) is LONG. _

_In case you're wondering, Myyle-Hara is a planet I made up, it's not real. _

_And about the ending, re-reading it, I realize that it may have come across has a bit lame, but, in the next chapter, I've tried my best to add humor, so, hopefully that helps._

_Please review, if you liked it, and if you didn't like anything about it, well, first, sorry about that, and second, you don't have to review, because you don't have to read any more. _

_Also, Sorry about any Spelling or Grammar Mistakes. _


	2. Chapter One

_So, Chapter One. I don't have much to say, so, read and enjoy...if it's, you know, enjoyable._

* * *

Chapter One: The Cave

_18 years later…_

"After I was born, I couldn't open my eyes. It was unexplainable. I mean, I was a completely healthy baby — I just couldn't open my eyes. I have no idea why they were like that, they just were. Anyway, a few months after I was born, the Jedi Council found me, and took me to become a Jedi. When I was onboard the ship back to Coruscant, somehow, my eyes opened for the first time, and the first thing I saw, was space. The stars and the darkness… that's all." After saying this, Caden paused for a moment, staring at a tunnel in front of him that led into absolute darkness.

Then, suddenly, he turned his head behind him and said, in a completely different tone, "And so, to answer your questions, _that's_ why I'm not afraid of the dark."

The young Jedi behind him, with one eyebrow raised, said, "What a wonderful story, Caden. But you know space isn't the same thing as a cave. It's… a _different kind _of darkness."

Caden scoffed, "A_ different kind of darkness_? Marcus, you and I both know, that doesn't make any sense. Besides," Caden put on a fake sympathetic face and continued, "just because you're afraid of a little cave, doesn't mean every one else is, okay?"

Marcus frowned, "Afraid? I'm a Jedi, I've trained myself not to be afraid—," he was interrupted by a voce from behind him.

"Are you two ready to—,"

"AAAAGGHH!!!" screamed Marcus.

The voice behind him belonged to a Twi'lek girl with tan skin, whose large brown eyes were currently staring at Marcus, accompanied by an open mouth.

Marcus who was breathing a little hard, said to her, "Yerna! Don't sneak up on us like that."

Yerna laughed, still staring incredulously at Marcus, "What? I didn't sneak up on you. Wow, you know Marcus, I didn't know you get scared so easily."

Caden said, very seriously, "Oh no, Marcus doesn't get scared — he's a Jedi."

Yerna laughed again, "Oh really? Then what was that, a — a _war-cry_?"

"No! No, it wasn't," said Marcus, who was now blushing.

This didn't go unnoticed by Caden, who gasped, "Awww, we've _embarrassed _Marcus."

Yerna, who was still smiling, said, "Ignore him, he doesn't joke around a lot. He's just excited." She looked at Marcus with concern, "You know you've been pretty jumpy since we got here? Are you okay?"

Marcus frowned, "I'm usually able to control my emotions. I guess I'm just a little on edge, because we're not in a training session anymore. This is the first time we've been in a real situation, alone."

Yerna responded, "Well, on our entire journey here, there was nothing we had to face. Maybe it'll be the same here."

"That's what's bothering me. We made it through the forest, without meeting anything, even remotely dangerous. And then, on the way up the mountain: again, nothing. This is supposed to be the end of the mission, and I can't help but think that there's going to be something _really _nasty in here."

Yerna though about this, trying to think of some way to deny this fact, but she had been expecting the same thing. She nodded and agreed, "Yeah."

Caden couldn't deny, the thought had crossed his mind. Before, he had always been with his master. This was the first time he was going in without assistance, other than Yerna and Marcus.

Yerna looked at him again, "Sorry I laughed at you."

Caden nodded, "Yeah, I guess I am, too."

Marcus grinned at both of them. "Thanks."

Caden continued, trying to lighten the mood. "You know, I'm sure we'll be fine. And HEY! If we run into any monsters, you can just use your war-cry! That'll probably scare them away for good."

Marcus laughed sarcastically, "Ha, ha, ha. You're hilarious."

Caden chuckled, and then looked behind him, at the cave behind him. There was nothing but darkness there, but then, his eyes squinted, and he said, "Hey guys, do you see that light?"

Both Marcus and Yerna looked in the direction he was facing. "Yeah, I do. It looks far, though." said Marcus.

"Do you think that at the end of the cave is what we were sent here for, whatever it is?" asked Yerna.

Caden took a deep breath, "Well, there's only one way to find out. Let's go." He looked back at the two of them. "Keep an eye out for anything moving, and when we reach that light, be ready for whatever's there. Got it?"

They nodded, and began walking.

They began walking, deeper into the cave, Caden in the lead, with Marcus and Yerna following closely behind.

As they got deeper into the cave, and the darkness grew around them, they pulled out their light-sabers, and ignited them. Four colored blades shot up, in the middle of the darkness, illuminating the cave walls around them.

Marcus held his blue colored light-saber close to his face.

Yerna held her yellow bladed light-saber in a special style, gripping the handle so that the blade was pointed directly behind her.

Caden walked confidently, staring straight ahead, holding two light-sabers pointed at the ground, a green blade in his right hand, and a blue blade in his left hand, matching his eyes.

As they continued walking towards the dim light at the end of the tunnel, the only sound that filled the cave was the humming of their blades.

There was no movement or hint of any danger.

Finally, as they approached the light, they found a turn in the cave. Around the bend would be the source of the light. Caden was surprised that they did not have to face any dangers on the way there, but was still cautious as he rounded the corner to see what was on the other side. As he turned, he turned off his light-saber.

The light was not blinding, but the sight almost took his breath away.

Lined along the cave walls, and embedded into the many rocks, scattered on the cave floor, were crystals. These weren't ordinary crystals, however. They were glowing crystals that were used to build and improve light-sabers. The glow of blue, green, yellow, and orange crystals gave the cave room a dreamlike feeling.

Yerna and Marcus, also turning off their light-sabers behind him, slowly entered the cave, gazing around them in wonder. Caden's eyes were drawn to the center, however, for there in the center was a man sitting on the ground, his back turned to them.

* * *

Jedi Master Ur Codaan sat on the damp cave floor, eyes closed, meditating in the dim light of the crystals surrounding him. His concentration was unbent, and his focus as piercing as the green colored light-saber he carried on his belt. For some time he had been sitting like this, without interruption.

However, now, the sound of voices could be heard far behind him. He grinned, as he recognized them to be that of his padawan, Caden, and the two other padawans, Yerna and Marcus.

Caden Baan. He was once a baby, Master Codaan had held the first day he opened his eyes.

And now, he was almost 18 years old, and as great a Jedi as any — exceptional, even… in certain fields. Of course, as a young learner, he had his flaws.

It had been discovered that Caden had an incredibly high count of midi-chlorians of almost 14,000. This discovery had astounded even the wisest of Jedi Masters. His ability to use the force was unmatched by any Jedi in the entire Order, however, when a certain situation called for him to use his tremendous abilities, Caden appeared… hesitant, as if he was holding back.

This was something that Master Codaan had tried, several times to assist him with, so that Caden would feel he had control, and he would be able to use it affectively, but only when necessary. Unfortunately, Caden never seemed willing to openly use this power, and every time he got close, he would immediately pull back, which would end up hurting him.

In fact, the last time they tried, Caden knocked himself unconscious for three days. This was by far, one of the more serious problems Caden faced, but he had other faults.

When he needed to be, Caden was as serious as a Wookie, but there were times when humor seemed to be his only skill. Often times, Master Codaan would say to him, "There's a time and place for everything, and for your jokes, it's when you're alone. Then, feel free to make all the jokes you want."

Additionally, over the years, Caden had proved himself to be a very intelligent padawan, often spending time in the Jedi Temple's Archives, reading on the history of the Republic.

Normally, Master Codaan would be pleased with his pupil, for taking such in interest in learning, however, there were times, during his childhood, that Caden would ask too many questions. More questions than a child should ask.

Of course, it's always good when a child is curious, and Padawans are always encouraged to ask questions, for knowledge is, by far, a Jedi's most valuable asset, along with the Force.

However, with Caden, the questions never stopped, and, even for a Jedi Master, there's a limit.

Now, as he's grown up, Caden's waves of questions were not as numerous as they used to be, but now, Master Codaan faced an unrelenting wave of corrections.

"Actually, Master, that's not right. Here, let me explain…," or, "Um… I don't know if that's actually true, Master. See, right here…."

It wasn't so much bothersome, as it was amusing. The padawan knew more than the Master. "Ah, the irony," as Master Codaan would often say.

Like any student, Caden had his flaws, and his strengths, but his strengths were what made him unique.

The voices of the three padawans had ceased, but the sound of their footsteps revealed that they were getting closer.

Finally, Master Codaan sensed the presence of his padawan, enter the room. He opened his eyes, but did not turn around to greet his pupil. The presence of Yerna and Marcus joined him, soon.

Feeling the eyes of Caden on him, Master Codaan stood up and turned around.

Caden grinned slightly, but the surprise in his face was not hidden. "Master," he said simply.

Master Codaan just smiled at the three of them.

Caden continued, "Uh… How'd you get here? I thought you were waiting back at the transport."

"We will return soon enough, but I am here, because this is the end of your quest."

Marcus walked forward, "Already? When you told us about what we were supposed to do — I mean, you told us that we were going to make our way through a forest, hike up a mountain, and enter this cave, and we did all that, but our journey didn't contain any obstacles, or threats. And…. Well… well nothing happened."

"I never mentioned anything about dangers you would face. All I told you was where to go. You assumed that there would be danger, every step you took. A Jedi should always expect danger; however, a Jedi should not always be surprised when there is no danger."

Caden scratched his head, "I don't understand."

Marcus nodded in agreement, "Yeah… What do you mean by that?"

Master Codaan looked at all three of them and spoke again. "I wanted the three of you to trust your instincts, and listen to the Force. If there was a danger present, you would have sensed it. No matter how sharp your eye-sight is, or how well you can handle your light-saber, the Force is your greatest ally."

Caden frowned, "So, that's it? Are we done, already?"

"Patience, Caden. The reason this mission is so important to every Jedi's training is that there are two outcomes — two lessons to learn. The first I have just explained and I hope you will remember it. The second involves the crystals you see around you," he gestured around him. "After you successfully conclude this mission, you three will be eligible to receive the rank of Jedi Knight."

The eyes of the padawans widened in surprise. Master Codaan smiled, and continued, "As I said before, the Force is your greatest ally, but your light-saber is a direct symbol of your attunement to the Force. This makes it incredibly important for you to understand the very instrument you've kept at your belts for so long. Of course, I know Caden has been instructed in the method of creating the light-saber, and I am aware that both of your masters' have taught you this, as well."

Yerna and Marcus both said, "Yes, Master Codaan."

Lifting his hand, Master Codaan's light-saber flew from his belt, hidden behind his cloak, to his raised hand. He began talking, as he levitated the weapon in mid-air before them, "Then you undoubtedly know that the power source to light-sabers is crystals."

The light-saber hovering in front of him began to disassemble, on its own. Through the Force, Master Codaan stripped the weapon down to each individual piece. "Crystals are important to the light-saber's structure for the purpose of color as well as the device's effects and capabilities."

The three students listened patiently, their eyes occasionally looking around them at the crystals. Undoubtedly, they were eager to learn more about each one.

Codaan continued, "Look around at the crystals that surround you. Take one of them and bring it back to me, but don't rush your decision — trust the Force. You will find the one that is right for you."

It took the three several minutes to circle the cave room, in search for what Master Codaan had asked for. Eventually, three differently colored crystals lay before him. He observed Yerna's first, as she had been the first one to return.

Picking up the transparent crystal, he spoke, "Ah — this is a Lorridian Gemstone…an excellent choice. Through the Force, it can heighten your ability to read the actions of those around you, a very useful trick, especially for strengthening one's defense — perfect for a Jedi Sentinel, such as yourself." He smiled at Yerna, who returned it with a grin.

Turning to Marcus, he found a beautiful gem he recognized immediately. "This is a Corsuca Gem. This cave is one of the few places in the galaxy where they can be found; I'm surprised you were able to find it. When placed into the hilt of your light-saber, it will directly increase the power of your blade — an excellent choice for you, Marcus."

Marcus beamed widely and stared in awe at the Corsuca Gem.

Master Codaan continued, "And you, Caden?"

Caden held up and bright orange colored gem. Master Codaan was silent for a moment, as he examined the crystal. "This…this is one of the Solari Crystals," he said slowly, as he continued to study the crystal.

His concentration was broken when Caden said out loud, "Um… is it a very rare crystal?"

Master Codaan looked up at his padawan, whose eyes revealed his puzzlement at his master's reaction. "Hmm? Oh…no. No, not exactly as rare to find as some others, but it is one of the more…_unique_ crystals."

Caden looked, bewilderingly from the crystal in his hand, to his master. "What do you mean?"

"Well, its full capabilities are unknown. We know that it has a very strong connection to the light side of the Force, but that's the full extent of our knowledge. In fact, I've never seen one, myself."

Caden stared at the crystal, his face mixed with confusion and wonder.

Marcus spoke up, this time, "But didn't you say that is wasn't that rare?"

"Well, it actually depends. There are few places in the galaxy where they are found, but the select few places that they _are_ found, contain a somewhat "fair" amount. I just didn't think this was one of those places."

Yerna looked over at Caden, who was still staring at the crystal in amazement. "Was there a lot of those where you found it?"

"Nope… just this one."

Now, everyone looked confused.

* * *

"Well, let's continue. We can discuss this later. For now, place your crystals into the hilts of your light-sabers," said Caden's master.

Looking away from the orange gem in his hands to his two light-sabers on the ground, Caden's hand reached for the one he knew to have the green colored blade.

The three of them placed the crystals in their respective positions, and assembled their light-sabers.

One by one, they ignited the blades. The moment the green blade sprung out, Caden's hands felt a warmth emitted from the handle — one he had never felt before. However, it didn't feel strange or uncomfortable. If anything, it felt as if it had always been there, or at least it should have. It felt relaxing, it felt… normal.

Master Codaan smiled, a twinkle in his eye. "Well done. You three have accomplished this task without fail, and your quest is nearly complete."

Caden looked up, "_Nearly_?"

Master Codaan's smile widened, "I'm afraid there is one more trial you must face. You were complaining about how you didn't come across any dangers along your journey here, right?"

Caden and Yerna looked, angrily at Marcus, whose eyes widened. "What? No, it wasn't complaining. I was just wondering."

"Nevertheless, your newly augmented light-sabers can be put to the test."

Caden gritted his teeth, "Against what?"

The disassembled parts of his master's light-saber, which had remained floating during the entire lesson, suddenly reassembled themselves, and in a flash, returned to his hands.

Suddenly, a blue blade was ignited from the handle, illuminating Master Codaan's grinning face.

Caden groaned, "You've got to be joking."

His master raised an eyebrow, and replied, "Do I look like I am?"

He did not.

* * *

Jumping forward, Master Codaan swung his blade in a downward stroke, aimed at the three pairs of feet, in front of him.

Both Yerna and Caden jumped back to dodge the blow, bringing their light-sabers in a defensive position.

Marcus, who couldn't jump back in time, jumped over Master Codaan, flipping twice before landing on the ground and turning. With one hand he aimed a blow at Master Codaan's back, but was too late. The two blades met, erupting in a loud, crackling sound.

Master Codaan applied force to his grip and forced back Marcus, just in time to turn back and block the strikes of Yerna and Caden.

The two of them struck at him several times, all parried by Master Codaan, who finally counter-attacked by striking Yerna's yellow colored light-saber, and forcing it towards Caden's blades.

Yerna pulled back her blade, and stepped back, allowing the now free blade of Master Codaan to fall upon the blades of Caden, which were crossed.

While the Caden was locked in a grip with his master, trying to force the other back, their eyes met, and their mouths twitched into a grin.

Master Codaan pushed upwards and around, breaking the lock he had with his apprentice, and freeing his blade for another parry, not against Caden, but Marcus, who had regained his footing, and now attacked from behind.

After blocking the first strike, Master Codaan ducked underneath Marcus' second strike and turned. The three of his opponents were closing in on him, slowly, their blades high in an aggressive stance. "Very good, very good…but you'll have to do better than that it you want this to end any time soon."

Caden attacked first, sweeping his green colored blade from below, followed by the blue colored blade in his other hand. Both were blocked by Master Codaan, who swiftly brought up his blade, again, to block a powerful strike from Yerna.

At this point, the pace began to quicken. Rapidly turning around, Master Codaan blocked several more strikes from Marcus, Caden, and Yerna.

Soon, the three of them and Master Codaan were just a blur of color as they spun, attacked, parried, and counter-attacked each other's movements.

Finally, in one climactic second, Master Codaan moved his blade in a protection formation, to block the strikes of all three of his challengers, who attacked at the same time, resulting in his blade being forced back towards him by the blades of Caden, Marcus, and Yerna.

He forcefully pulled away, breathing deeply. The three of them were also panting, and they looked at each other for several moments, the only noise being the hum of their blades, and the sound of their breaths.

Caden smiled and spoke. "Had enough, Master?"

Master Codaan laughed and said, "My friend, I've had enough for a lifetime, but right now, the question is _have you_."

The flurry of attacks from all sides began again, and continued on for some time. At one point, Marcus was charging from behind at Master Codaan, who turned and used the Force to send him flying backwards. Marcus was quick, however, and was able to flip, mid-air, and regain control, even before his feet touched the ground. He then rushed back into the skirmish.

After more time had passes, Master Codaan finally stopped attacking, and straightened himself. The three padawans stayed still for a second, and then straightened themselves, as well.

"Exceptional work, you three. It is clear to me that you all deserve the rank of Jedi Knights, and I am proud to admit it," said Master Codaan. He turned off his light-saber, and reattached it to his belt, and continued, "I believe we are finally done here. Let us make our way back to the ship, and return to Coruscant." The three of them didn't budge, however.

Yerna spoke up. "That's it? Just like that…."

"What's wrong?"

Caden said, "Nothing. It's just… that was a little sudden."

Master Codaan nodded in understanding. "Oh, I see. Because I said that you must learn to be prepared for anything, you believe I am tricking you so that I can catch you off-guard?"

Marcus nodded simply, "Yup."

"Well, a Jedi must be prepared for anything, but for us all, there is a time and place for everything, and there is a time and place for everything to end." Hesitantly, the three Jedi before him turned off their light-sabers and clipped them back to their belts. Master Codaan smiled and said, "Congratulations, you three. You deserve it. Now, let's depart."

The four of them left the cave, back towards their ship, which would take them back to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.

For the three of them, their final trials were over, but the event that would change all of their lives was about to occur.

* * *

_Okay, so end of Chapter One._

_First, I hope the action sequence was well written for actiony purposes. I tried to keep it as fast as possible, so it feels intense. _

_Also, if it wasn't clear, Master Codaan is the same guy from the prologue, who held baby Caden at the end. I'm pretty sure that was clear, but just in case...._

_Lastly, if you liked it, GREAT. Let me know. If you didn't, first of all, sorry about that, second don't be too mean, and if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all. I can take constructive criticism, but don't be mean, because that's what mean people do. You don't want to be one of those do you... do you?_

Anyway, thanks for reading, and I'm sorry about any mistakes (spelling, grammar, plot...ETC)


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